Origin by Ocean Oy and Fundación Puntacana, Inc. have signed a binding Sargassum Supply Agreement to establish a sustainable seaweed supply chain and develop a Sargassum pre-treatment terminal in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. This partnership is a significant achievement in transforming the environmental challenge of sargassum blooms into high-value bio-based ingredients.
“This partnership marks a significant step towards building a circular economy around sargassum,” said Heikki Heiskanen, Chief Operating Activist at Origin by Ocean.
“By working with Fundación Puntacana, we can leverage their expertise in sargassum management to secure a reliable feedstock supply and explore opportunities for local processing.”
Fundación Puntacana, with its proven expertise in managing sargassum influxes through collection methods and floating barriers, will collaborate with Origin by Ocean. This partnership will see Fundación Puntacana supplying sargassum for Origin by Ocean's unique biorefinery process. To support this, Origin by Ocean will set up a local pre-treatment terminal in Punta Cana, ensuring high-quality feedstock for its innovative biorefinery. This biorefinery, to be located at Kokkola Industrial Park in Finland and operated by CABB, will produce bio-based ingredients for the cosmetics, food, and textile industries.
Fundación Puntacana will provide Origin by Ocean with a steadily increasing supply of sargassum, commencing in 2026. By 2027-2028, this volume is projected to reach approximately 4,000 tons per year, aligning with the processing capabilities of Origin by Ocean's pioneering commercial production facility in Finland.
“We are excited to partner with Origin by Ocean to find a sustainable solution to the sargassum problem. This collaboration has the potential to not only mitigate the negative impacts of sargassum blooms but also create economic opportunities for the Dominican Republic,” said Jake Kheel, Fundación Puntacana.
Additionally, Origin by Ocean is planning to conduct a feasibility study on establishing a biorefinery in the Dominican Republic in the later phase, mirroring its Finnish First-of-a-kinf biorefinery to be established in Kokkola Industrial Park, Finland.
Both organizations are committed to working closely with local and international authorities to ensure the success of this initiative.
ABOUT ORIGIN BY OCEAN
Origin by Ocean is a Finnish biotech company pioneering the sustainable use of marine biomass to replace fossil-based ingredients in various industries. By transforming invasive algae into high-performance bio-based materials, the company supports regenerative industrial solutions that benefit both the planet and business.
ABOUT FUNDACIÓN PUNTACANA
Fundación Puntacana is a nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental conservation and community development in the Dominican Republic. With a strong focus on sustainability, the foundation implements innovative programs that protect natural resources and enhance local livelihoods.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Origin by Ocean
Heikki Heiskanen, Chief Operating Activist
heikki.heiskanen@originbyocean.com
Grupo Puntacana Foundation
Jake Kheel, Vice President
jkheel@puntacana.com